Modular farm with carousel system

Abstract

A container farm provides a grow zone and a work zone within an enclosure. Plants are grown in vertical grow towers within the grow zone supported by a rotatable carousel grow structure. The grow towers can be moved within the grow zone to a location in which they are accessible from the work zone. A seedling station can be provided within the work zone. Other systems, including an irrigation system, a lighting system, and a climate control system, can be provided to support the growth of plants within the container.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A modular farm for plant production, comprising:
 a container; 
 a carousel system mounted for rotation about a central vertical axis within the container; and 
 a plurality of grow towers mountable to the carousel system for rotation therewith about the central vertical axis, each grow tower comprising an elongated column for growing plants, 
 wherein one or more of the grow towers comprises a plant panel comprising a plurality of adjacent, integrally formed elongated channels, and a mounting fixture disposed on a back wall of the plant panel configured to removably suspend the plant panel from the carousel grow structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The modular farm of  claim 1 , wherein each grow tower is further mountable to the carousel system for rotation about a further vertical axis spaced from the central vertical axis. 
     
     
       3. The modular farm of  claim 1 , further comprising an enclosed space within the container comprising a grow zone and a work zone, and wherein the carousel system is operable to rotate the grow towers about the vertical axis to move a portion of the grow towers into a location accessible from the work zone. 
     
     
       4. The modular farm of  claim 1 , further comprising an irrigation system comprising:
 a nutrient solution reservoir disposed in a region below a floor of the container; 
 an irrigation line disposed to deliver a liquid nutrient solution from the nutrient solution reservoir to an upper end of each grow tower; and 
 a pump in the nutrient solution reservoir connected to the irrigation line. 
 
     
     
       5. The modular farm of  claim 1 , further comprising a nutrient dosing system comprising:
 a recirculation line disposed to recirculate a liquid nutrient solution from a nutrient solution reservoir, 
 a plurality of nutrient sources, and 
 a line from each nutrient source to the recirculation line to introduce a nutrient into the recirculation line. 
 
     
     
       6. The modular farm of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a central column aligned with the central vertical axis; and 
 a lighting system comprising lights disposed on sides of the central column to provide light to plants in each grow tower facing the central column. 
 
     
     
       7. The modular farm of  claim 1 , further comprising a lighting system in the grow zone comprising:
 a first set of lights disposed inwardly of and facing outwardly toward the grow towers; and 
 a second set of lights disposed outwardly of and facing inwardly toward the grow towers. 
 
     
     
       8. The modular farm of  claim 1 , further comprising a seedling station disposed within the container, the seedling station comprising a seedling trough disposed to support one or more seedling trays supporting seedling plugs in contact with a liquid nutrient solution in the trough. 
     
     
       9. The modular farm of  claim 1 , further comprising support surfaces disposed on opposite interior walls of the container in a work zone to support a grow tower in a horizontal orientation for access by a user. 
     
     
       10. The modular farm of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a central column aligned with the central vertical axis; and 
 a camera mounted to the central column and disposed to photograph plants growing in the plant grow towers. 
 
     
     
       11. The modular farm of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a central column aligned with the central vertical axis; and 
 a climate sensor mounted to the central column to sense one or more of air temperature, humidity, and a CO 2  level within the container. 
 
     
     
       12. The modular farm of  claim 1 , further comprising a climate control system comprising a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system. 
     
     
       13. A carousel system for growing plants comprising:
 a hub comprising a stationary base including a mounting fixture to attach to a ceiling or roof structure, and a rotation mechanism attached to the stationary base for rotation about a vertical axis with respect to the stationary base; 
 a plant tower support assembly attached to the rotation mechanism for rotation therewith; 
 a plurality of grow towers suspendable from the plant tower support assembly for rotation therewith about the central vertical axis, each grow tower including an elongated column for growing plants, 
 wherein each grow tower comprises a plant panel comprising a plurality of adjacent, integrally formed elongated channels, and a mounting fixture disposed on a back wall of the plant panel configured to removably suspend the plant panel from the grow tower support assembly. 
 
     
     
       14. The carousel system of  claim 13 , wherein the grow tower support assembly comprises an arm assembly attached to the rotation mechanism, and each grow tower is mounted to the arm assembly for rotation about a further vertical axis spaced from the vertical axis. 
     
     
       15. The carousel system of  claim 14 , wherein the arm assembly comprises a plurality of telescoping arms extending from the rotator, each of the plurality of grow towers mounted to a distal end of an associated one of the telescoping arms. 
     
     
       16. The carousel system of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of grow towers are arranged to form plant walls with the elongated channels of the grow towers disposed to face outwardly to form opposite sides of each plant wall. 
     
     
       17. The carousel system of  claim 13 , wherein each grow tower is suspended from the grow tower support assembly for rotation about a further vertical axis spaced from the vertical axis. 
     
     
       18. The carousel system of  claim 13 , wherein the grow tower support assembly comprises a belt disposed to travel along a track surrounding the central vertical axis, and each grow tower is suspended from the belt for travel therewith.